Once Around the Park Cabby....
by Becs
Summary: Well, Becs is back. This little fic is an idea I randomly came up with coupled with a request.... :) The boys go to have a picnic, Lila, Kitty and Mel come too and everyone is all dressed up in Victorian splendor. Enjoy


Disclaimer: Own Toby, Lila, Mel and Mrs Winkle. Nothin' else.

A/N- Wow. Thanx for all the positive feed back guys! Yeah, and this has an idea given by somebody (sorry I can't remember your name!) incorporated into it. I hope you like. :) God....it's been months....

"You know what we should do?" Mel asked. The Brotherhood and the lone girl sat on a wall in the brilliant sunlight of a perfect day.

"What?" asked Todd.

"We should have a picnic," Mel enthused, turning chocolate brown eyes on the boys, "but not just _any_ picnic. We can dress up all cool and Victorian, like in the 19th Century. It'd be fun!"

"Hey yeah!" Pietro grinned, "they had those cool hats then and the specially tailored jackets and trousers. Ooh! And canes! And those cool black and white shoes!"

"Dress up!" Todd and Freddy chorused.

"That's a great idea," Toby enthused, "we can go to the park and maybe ride in the horse and carriage!"

"Dress up?" Lance said cautiously. "We're talking in like, oh say a week aren't we?"

"Yeah," Pietro said, turning on the older mutant, "we gotta plan. And hire costumes."

"Couldn't you make 'em?" Mel asked. "It'd take you like 5 seconds."

"Good point," Pietro grinned. "Let's go buy some material and we can make 'em tonight. Then we can go tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow!?!" Lance squeaked.

"What?" Pietro asked. "You got a problem with that?"

"N-No," Lance stammered. "Its just ah, I got things to do tomorrow."

"Like what?"

"Just............things."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain girl named Kitty Pryde would it?" Mel asked, grinning evilly as she leaned forward.

"NO!" Lance yelped.

"You have a date tomorrow!" Mel crowed. "With Kitty Pryde!"

"I do not!" Lance blushed crimson, and in doing so, totally incriminated himself.

"Awww, we can't go without Lance," Freddy said, "and I was looking forward to dressing up." 

"Why can't we go tomorrow?" Toby asked, "Lance can just invite Kitty to come along. I'm sure she'd like it. She was telling me how she used to go those Renaissance Fairs when she younger."

"Really?" Pietro said, "Kitty went those?"

"Yup," Toby nodded.

"I suppose I could ask her," Lance said doubtfully.

"Great!" Mel grinned, slapping Lance on the back. "Now let's go Pietro. The fabric stores await."

"I'm coming my sweet!" Pietro cried dramatically, pressing a hand to his heart.

"See ya in an hour!" Mel called as they sped off.

That night 

"Hey you guys did a great job," Toby said, holding up a solid oak cane. "Where'd you get this stuff?" 

"Some old guy was throwing it out," Pietro said, "though we had to beat Mrs Winkle off for that." He turned to where Mel and the rest of the Brotherhood stood. Around his neck was a measuring tape, and the sleeves of his shirt had been rolled up to the elbows. He looked like one of those old fashioned tailors you see in movies. "Shall we begin?" he grinned.

"Ooh! Me first!" Todd hopped up and down, his hand raised in the air. "Pick me Quickie! Me!"

"Hmmmm," Pietro pressed long fingers to his chin, "so many choices......."

"Me!"

"Eeny, meeny, miny....."

"Me Pietro me!"

"Ahhhh, I pick........."

"MeMeMe!"

"Todd!"

"WOOHOO!" Todd whooped, launching himself off the couch and following Pietro into the kitchen, which had been transformed to Pietro's 'working standards.'

"So, what did Kitty say?" Toby asked Lance, who sat on the floor, patting a purring Cookie.

"She was really into it," Lance said, "I didn't know she went for that sort of stuff. She said she'd meet us there and that she had a costume lying around!"

"Sounds a bit like you Mel," Pietro called from the kitchen.

"Shut up Pietro!" Mel snapped. "That Cinderella outfit has been burned! Burned I tell you!"

"Sure it has," Pietro's voice floated back.

"Cinder......ella costume?" Toby asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't ask," Mel moaned. "Don't. Ask."

"Next!" Pietro called.

Next day 

It was a day as sunny as the one before as the Brotherhood and Mel set off for the park, all dressed in their Victorian splendour.

Mel wore a walking dress in blue and yellow. A small hat with pink roses upon it perched on her head, to match the pink silk scarf draped about her neck. A blue parasol edged with lace was swung delicately over one shoulder and her blonde hair was pulled into a bun.

Toby was dressed neatly in a shirt and vest; a beautifully tailored frock coat, all in charcoal grey, sitting over them both. Loose pants, the same colour, were neatly pressed, right down to his black and white shoes. He wore a top hat and a forest green cravat, embedded with a silver pin.

Lance was dressed in a similar fashion, only his suit was black, and a gold pocket watch glinted upon the red fabric of his vest.

Todd was dressed in brown, with a matching bowler hat, and of course, a red cravat and black and white shoes.

Freddy wore a black frock coat and pants, a bowler hat upon his head. All clothes were tailored to fit exactly.

Pietro's costume was slightly different. He carried the oak cane, and wore a fedora hat in rich brown suede upon his white hair. A black cravat provided stark contrast to the white starched collar; and the dark brown, perfectly fitted, coat which reached to just below his knees. He wore black gloves on his hands.

They pulled up outside the park in Toby's Citroen, and stepped out. A mother with her young children smiled when she saw the dressed teenagers, and pointed them out to her young children. Mel spotted her and waved a gloved hand. Toby raised his hat and made a slight bow. The children giggled and huddled closer to their mother.

"Lance!" came a voice. They all turned to see Kitty in a pretty pink walking dress with matching parasol.

"Kitty!" Lance beamed, getting his goofy 'I-love-Kitty' face.

"Pietro!" squealed another voice. Rushing after Kitty came Lila. "Oh my god! You look like, so adorable!"

"Lila!" Pietro squeaked, as he tried to fend of the petite freshman with his cane as she attached herself to his arm. "W-what a surprise."

"A good one I hope," she giggled.

Toby made a low growl in the back of his throat as Lila moved a little closer to panicking Pietro.

"Woah there Sparky," Mel whispered in his ear, "let's not blow our cover."

"I bought Lila," Kitty said, "I hope I didn't like, cause any inconvenience. She was just so like, excited when she heard."

"I bet she was," Toby growled.

"No problem," Lance said dreamily. "Shall we go find somewhere to sit?"

"NO PROBLEM!" Pietro yelped as Lila grabbed him by the arm.

"Will you escort me Mr Tolansky?" Mel asked.

"Certainly Miss Melanie," Todd grinned, offering his arm. Freddy came behind, carrying the picnic basket and Toby followed after, glaring daggers at the back of Lila's head.

They found a sunny place to eat, out on the grass, and they spread a rug to sit on. A fawning Lila sat Pietro's right and a pissed off Toby to his left. Toby glared at Lila as she clung to Pietro, who was trying to diplomatically extract her from his arm.

"This is like, so nice," Lila chirped, smiling up at Pietro who gave a weak smile.

'Who the hell does she think she is,' Toby thought as he watched Lila, 'what does she think she's doing clinging to him like that? The little slut! Get the hell away from my husband! Eep! Did I just think husband? Oh my god I did! Ahhh! Help! I'm going insane! And its all Lila's fault!'

"You okay Sparky?" Mel asked, "you look kinda pale."

"I'm fine!" Toby yelped, jumping slightly. "Just fine."

"Okay okay, just asking," Mel said, holding up her hands. "Sheesh."

"Okay okay, just asking," Mel 

"Well don't cause I'm fine. There's nothing wrong with me I'm normal yes I am."

"Uh huh," Pietro stopped his Lila extracting to raise an eyebrow.

"Lemonade anyone?" Toby said, smiling too wide as he picked up the pitcher.

"I'll like, pass," Lila said.

"I'll have some Toby," Kitty smiled a little too sweetly than she should have, considering she was here on a date with Lance. Lance was too busy in Kitty worshipping to notice.

"Huh?" Toby looked at her as if she was talking from some far away world. "Oh right, here you go then." He passed the pitcher to the startled Kitty, who had expected the lemonade to be poured into her glass.

"So, Pietro," Lila fluttered her eyelashes, "I haven't seen you since Friday, and I was wondering what you'd been getting up too. You know, just.......stuff."

"Why do you always ask me that!?!" Pietro yelled in exasperation. "Do you plan on making a tally of where I hang out and what I do so that you can find me when ever you need me?"

"Yeah," Lila said, blinking her eyes innocently.

Pietro blanched and edged away from her in an extremely unsubtle manner. Turning to the rest of the group he said in a squeaky voice, "so..............anyone want a sandwich?"

"Ooh! Me, me!" Freddy said, snatching the plate from Pietro.

The group settled down and began to talk.

"Hahahahahaha!" Kitty laughed, placing a gloved hand over her mouth and fluttering her eyelashes at Lance, "you're like, so funny Lance."

"Not as funny as you Kitty," Lance cooed back, staring at Kitty like an adoring puppy.

"No, you're funnier," Kitty teased.

"No you," Lance said.

"No you."

"No you."

"No. You are."

"No, you are Ki - "

"YOU'RE _BOTH_ IDIOTS!" Pietro yelled.

"Hahahahahaha!" Lila laughed, "oh Pietro you're like, so fuh - " A glare that would have stopped an angry bear in it's tracks and sent it howling for the hills stopped Lila in her tracks as Pietro turned on her. "Uhhhhh, maybe not," Lila gulped. Behind her Toby smirked.

"Tea Miss Melanie?" Todd asked, passing the tea pot to Mel.

"I don't mind if I do Mr. Todd," Mel smiled, taking the pot. "Why you are most courteous."

"Owww," Lila whined, letting go of Pietro's arm to rub at the back of her head, "something hit me!"

Toby looked away innocently and took a bite of his sandwich. Lila looked around then settled back against Pietro, who was starting to look like a trapped animal.

"Owwwww!" Lila yelped, jumping once again. "Like, I am sooo not kidding! Something like, totally whacked me in the back of the head!"

"Really!?!" Toby said, blinking in surprise, "how very strange! Mel, did you see anything that might have caused Lila some distress?"

"Why no Sparky," Mel said. "I most certainly did not. Maybe you're hallucinating. The tea can do that to you you know."

"I'm not like, hallucinating am I?" Lila said uncertainly.

"It _is_ the most logical explanation," Mel said.

"Oh dear," Lila turned to Pietro. "Maybe you better like, hold me Pietro. I feel kind of like, faint." She made a pathetic sigh and held a gloved hand to her forehead.

"Oh Christ," Pietro muttered, "why don't you just dress in a camisole and strap a mattress to your back?"

"What was that?" Lila asked, looking up at Pietro with puppy dog eyes.

"I said; you tilt your parasol you look like an actress," Pietro smiled sweetly.

"Awwww, that's like, so sweet," Lila cooed. "Eeep!" she yelped. A milk dud bounced off her head and fell to the ground. "All right Todd!" she turned on the poor teenager in anger, "that is like, so not funny."

"It wasn't me!" Todd gasped.

"Oh like Toby would do something like that," Lila snapped, pointing at Toby who was looking innocent.

"B-But..." Todd began, "h-he...I mean.....the milk dud.....I......WHY DOES EVERYONE BLAME ME!?!" 

"Just unlucky I guess," Toby smirked.

"I'd shut up if I were you," Todd snapped, "or everyone at school might find out about your unorthodox interest in our star Basketball player."

"I don't know what your talking about," Toby sniffed.

"Oh no? Come on! Number thir - " (a/n-btw, 32's our wonderful Pietro's number. :p)

"SHUT UP!" Toby snapped, leaping across the table and covering Todd's mouth with his hand. "Be quiet you little toad!"

"Maybe we should go on the carriage ride," Mel suggested nervously.

"Oh, I don't really like, like horses," Lila began...

"Perfect!" Toby leapt to his feet. "Race you Pietro!"

Pietro's eyes flashed and he was on his feet in an instant, Lila gave a small cry as her prop disappeared and she fell face first onto the blanket. Toby tore off, Pietro easily overtaking him and taunting him as he ran backwards, just in front of him.

Soon the entire group were waiting by the bridal path in their fine dress. Lance and Kitty were busy sighing at each other, Lila was busy sighing at Pietro, whilst Pietro looked annoyed and Toby glared at her.

"Ooh look!" Todd cried, hopping up and down. "The carriage!"

"Hey horsie!" Freddy waved a huge hand.

"Oh Pietro! I'm like, so afraid!" Lila whimpered, clinging to Pietro in a pathetic display.

'Grrrrrrrr,' Toby fumed as he watched her, 'she's not even that scared! I could pull off that look! God,she's just so pathetic. He's mine! Mine I tell you!'

"Sparky," Mel hissed out of the corner of her mouth, "your muttering."

"Whoooah there my good man!" Todd said, stepping out in front of the carriage and holding up a gloved hand. The carriage pulled to a halt and the driver leaned down, grinning slightly at the group of teenagers. 

"What can I do you gentlemen for?" he asked.

"The lot please," Mel flashed a pleasant smile as she mounted the stairs and hopped into the carriage.

"Yes, once around the park cabby," Todd said in an English accent. His face broke into a huge grin and he said, "you know......I've always wanted to say that."

The rest of the group began to get in. Lila whimpered as she looked up at the horses.

"May I help you?" Toby asked, making a low bow. Lila smiled a little, but cast a glance at Pietro. However Pietro wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to the fawning freshman and so she took Toby's offered hand. 

__

Big mistake!

As Lila stepped up to climb the stairs Toby 'accidentally' let go. Lila gave a small shriek as she fell into the mud just below the steps. 

"My dress!" Lila wailed. "It's like, soaking!"

"Oh my god!" Toby cried in fake sincerity, "I am _so_ sorry Lila! I am so clumsy!" He pulled a lace handkerchief from his waistcoat pocket and began to dab at her muddy skirts.

"GET OFF ME!" Lila yelled, glaring daggers at Toby. "You clutz! How could you do that to me!?!"

"Don't speak to Toby like that," Pietro said, his voice dark.

"Oh, I like, didn't mean it Pietro," Lila cried, her eyes wide in surprise. Toby looked at Pietro in surprise, his face softening as Pietro continued to glare at Lila. 

Without casting another glance in the tiny freshman's direction Pietro said, "come up Toby. It was only a dress. She'll get over it."

Lila's mouth opened and closed as she watched in disbelief as Toby climbed past her, (not with out casting her a 'hurt' look) and seated himself across from Pietro.

"I-I think I'll go home..." Lila stammered.

"Are you sure Lila?" Kitty asked, turning to her friend in concern.

"Y-yup," Lila sniffed.

"Oh," Kitty cast a glance at Lance. "I better like, go Lance. I'll like, see you at school okay?" 

"Sure Kitty," Lance smiled dreamily.

"Just the 6 then?" the driver asked.

"Yep," Pietro grinned, smiling for the first time since Lila had appeared. "Step on it!" As the carriage took off Pietro turned to Toby. "Thanks Toby," Pietro grinned.

"N-no problem," Toby blushed.

"Kitty's so pretty......" Lance sighed as they trotted through the undergrowth.

"She's changing her name from Kitty to Karen," Mel hummed.

"She's trading her MG for a white, Chrysler Laberan," Pietro joined in.

"I want a girl with a short skirt and a loooooooooooooong jacket!" The rest of the Brotherhood joined in.

"Why do you lot always sing that!?!" Lance cried in exasperation.

"Cause it annoys you!" the Brotherhood and Mel chorused.

"You guys will never let this rest will you?" Lance sighed.

"Yes," Pietro nodded.

"Really?" Lance asked hopefully.

"When Toby turns straight."

"Hey!" Toby said.

"Knock it off!" Lance snapped as well.

__

"Knock it off," Pietro mocked.

"I don't appreciate that comment!" Toby interrupted.

__

"I don't appreciate that comment."

"PIETRO!" 

__

"PIETRO!"

"I'm stupid."

"Your stupid," Pietro smirked.

"You are so immature!"

__

"You are so immature!"

"SHUT UP!"

- - - - - 

Just another typical day don't you agree?

Well. That's all from me. I finally got off my ass and wrote something. *claps for herself* How good is that? I'm going to try and make my fanfics regular again but you'll have to be patient with me this year; it's going to be a busy one. Though I do have lots of ideas, plus the requests from other people. You can thank Celestial Elf for bugging me so much. :p I'm sure she'll be happy this has been written. And for those of you who are going, 'who is this strange girl?' and have actually read the whole story: "Hi. I'm Becs. I used to be a regular but I'm a lazy ass so there you go." E-mail if there's anything that making you go huh? Or if you have requests. Cheerio faithful readers, and new ones (though I should be so lucky). Becs. P.S for those who want them, I have some new Mel and Toby pics. :p


End file.
